Global-scale enormous: #Vongfong Typhoon startles even from orbit

The powerful Typhoon Vongfong has injured over 40 people on the Japanese island of Okinawa, and is now downgrading from a super-typhoon to a mere tropical storm. But at the peak of its strength it was a startling sight to see from the Earth’s orbit.

The giant atmospheric
vortex that is the typhoon fascinated German astronaut Alexander
Gerst, who is currently on board the International Space Station
as part of the Expedition 40/41 crew.

Earlier NASA published a time-lapse video, demonstrating the ISS
passing over the monstrous storm. By this time, Vongfong has
passed Okinawa and is moving to central parts of
Japan with Tokyo expected to be hit by Monday night.

Some 350 flights have been cancelled due to the typhoon while
over 40,000 households remain without electricity. According to
local media, winds are blowing at 140 km per hour (90 mph) with
gusts of 185 kph (115 mph) - powerful enough to overturn a moving
lorry.

The previous severe weather alert, generated by Phanfone, caused
more than 1.2 million people to be evacuated to shelters,
disrupted air and rail travel as well as the search and rescue
efforts for missing people.